Manelisi Mbilase defends his South African featherweight title against Thando Vukuza at the Orient Theatre in East London on Friday night. Mbilase (10-3, 2 KOs) won the vacant title at Carletonville in October last year on a highly disputed points decision against Vukuza who has a reported record of (5-4-1). In their first fight , Vukuza appeared to have ouboxed Mbilase, but the judges decided otherwise. Even Nick Durandt who was Mbilase’s trainer at the time admitted that his fighter was lucky to get the decision. Boxing SA ordered a rematch and at one time when no promoter was prepared to put the fight they considered having the fight in a gymnasium with no payment to the boxers in terms of the Boxing Act. Both fight from the southpaw stance and have rather patchy records in a fight that is expected to go the distance once again. However, Vukuza must be favored to gain revenge and take the title.
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Meanwhile it has been reported that Robs Promotions will present a tripleheader in Bloemfontein on August 7. Topping the bill will be William Gare who will defend his WBF super middleweight belt against Rigoberto Alvarez (22-0, 16 KOs) from Mexico. Alvarez is the Mexican super middleweight champion and rated at #14 by the WBC. WBF lightweight champion Mlungisi Dlamini faces Francisco Lorenzo of the Dominican Republic (33-5, 14 KOs). Lorenzo holds wins over the highly rated Nate Campbell, Cristobal Cruz (twice) and Humberto Soto. Bongani Mwelase fights Attila Kovacs (25-3, 7 KOs) of Hungary for the vacant WBF super middleweight belt.
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On August 28 Lbubalo Msutu defends his WBF bantamweight belt against Nick Otieno (18-2, 7 KOs) of Kenya in East London.
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Francois Botha is scheduled to defend his WBF heavyweight belt at a venue to be announced in Europe sometime in October.